neller



A. H. NEL'LER.

OVERHEAD TRACK.

APPLICATION -FILED OCT. I6, 1919.

2 sHEETs-s'HEET-l.

ATTORNEY A. H. NELLER.

OVERHEAD TRACK. ARFLICATION FILED 001.16, 1919.

1,326,607. Patented' Dee. 30,1919.

Flc.. 5. A FEET 21k lNvl-:NToR mf 7% M,

BY #Jaw gh@ ATTORNEY UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

ALBERT H. NELLER, OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE LOUIJEN MACHINERY COMPANY, OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA. v

OVERHEAD TRACK.

Application filed October 16, 1,919.

To all wlw/m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. NELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Overhead Tracks, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to that class of overhead tracks in which a flexible wire or cable is extended from a building to a distant support out of doors, and is used in connection with a rigid track supported at intervals within the building; and it consists of an improvement in the construction whereby with the same material the trackway may be located either to the right or the left of its supports; the liability of the track wire to crystalline and break at the point of connection will be lessened, and of improvements in other features set forth in the specification specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure I is a side elevation of an overhead track embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 2 2 of Fig. l, looking upward as indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 3 3, of Fig. 1, also looking upward. Fig. I is a vertical cross section on line 4-4 of F l, showing t'he track located on the left side of the support. Fig. 5 is the same showing the track on the right of the support. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Figs. 7 9, 10, l1 and 12 are views which will be 'describedfurther on in the specification. Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective of one of the connecting castings.

Referring to the drawing A represents the ceiling, or other overhead portion of a building. B is one of the timbers above a doorway and C is an outside portion of the adjacent wall. D represents an overhead track located in the building and connected to the ceiling by hangers E. the detailed construction of which will be later described. A vertically disposed supporting member F, preferably of tubular material, is connected to the timber B by clamping members G and H, which are secured to th-e timber by screws or bolts I.

To the lower end of the member F, castings J and K are secured by means of a bolt L passed therethrough, the upper ends of the castings being adapted to fit the conM Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Serial No. 331,059.

tour of the member. The castings J and K are also adapted to receive the lower and outer end of an inclined brace member M, and are secured thereto by bolts N. This brace member is preferably made of tubular material and its upper end is secured to the ceiling A, or to some other overhead portion of the building. The end of the member may be flattened, as shown in Fig. l, and may be secured to the ceiling A by bolts O. j l

The flexible track which, in this instance, is a high carbon steel wire, is represented by P. Its connecting end is bent to form an elongated hook as shown in Fig. 7 which is held in position by clamping castings R and S. These clam-p castings are vertically disposed in cross section and form the connection between the rigid track D and the flexible track wire P. They are secured to the castings J and K and the brace member M by bolts N which are passed through all of these parts, as shown by Figs. 2, 4 and 5.`

The casting R forms the outside clamp member and the casting S the inside clamp member. These castings are further secured to the brace member M, by the bolt T, as

shown in Fig. Q. The inner clamp casting S has a laterally extending lug U which bears against the adjacent side of the brace member, and also against the adjacent end of a laterally extended portion J on the casting J.

This laterally extended portion J is adapted to fit in a corresponding recess S on the central surface of the clamp casting S, said recess being shown in Fig. l2 which is anenlarged transverse section of the clamp casting S between the bolts N. Also, see Figs. 4 and 5.

The track D is preferably C shaped as shown in Fig. 6, and more plainly in Fig. l0, which is an enlarged section of the lower end of Fig. 6, showing the track D and a ioo slipped over this extension, may be held iny connected position by a bolt D, as shown 'in Fig. l.

This arrangement makes a very substantial connection between tlie rigid track D and the flexible track l). rlhe brace M will hold the supporting member F against displacement by the tension of the flexible track or otherwise. The clamp castings R and S being secured to the castings J and K, and to the brace M by three bolts N, N and T, and being braced by the contacting shoulders of the lug U and the extended portion J of the casting J, and also by the insertion et the extended portion J in the recess S of the clamp casting S, will be held tirmly in position against a strain in any direction, and especially against the outward horizontal strain caused by the tension of the flexible track.

Provision is also made to prevent the breakage of the track wire from crystallization caused by the repeated bending of the wire at the point of connection with its supporting device. As heretofore made, these supporting devices have always had abrupt or sharply rounded corners against which the wire has had to rest when sustaining a load close to the supporting device. Sometimes this portion of the supporting device has been beveled or made sloping` which has helped to some extent but has not entirely overcome the trouble.

The abrupt or sharply rounded corners have remained against which the wire was liable to contact when sustaining a heavy load or when the supporting` device became slightly out oli adjustment. Sometimes a hinged extension piece located on the upper side of the wire has been used but this arrangement has invariably had an abrupt corner at its termination, which has caused the wire to crystallize and break at that point, as well as at the point of direct connection with the supporting device.

To overcome this trouble l have formed the connecting castings so that the wire caunot come in contact with any abrupt corners either above or below. Fig. 7 is an enlarged side view oli the interior of the clamp casting R showing the connecting end of the track wire F located therein. Both of the castings R and S are provided with mating grooves to fit the bent end oit the wire, as shown in Fig. 9, which is a transverse section of the casting where one of the bolts N is passed, the bolt being shown broken away.

On each side or these grooves are mating ribs or flanges which l have numbered 13, 14, 15 and 16, and which are adapted to hold the wire in the grooves. The clamp castings are made reversible so that either edge may be turned up. The outer surface of the upper ribs or flanges 13 forms an intermediate trackway between the rigid and liexible tracks D and l). The upper central ribs 14 furnish the bearing support for the track wire l?, and are curved downward on an extended radius to the center of the outer end of the castings R and S, where they meet the ribs 15 bent upward on a si1nilar curve. Fig. 7 shows the outer end of the track wire P slightly deflected downward below the level broken line above it, which on account of the natural sag of the wire is the position it usually assumes when it is not carrying a load, although the outside support inay be some higher than the connecting support.

The dotted lines P are intended to show a loaded carrier wheel pressing` the wire down to the maximum extent it will have to go with the heaviest load. It will be seen that even when the wire is pressed down to this extent it is not brought in supporting contact with the abrupt corners or ends of the ribs 14, and that, so far as the wire has been sprung down, it has been supported at all points along the extended curve of the ribs 14, which have prevented a bend short enough to cause crystallization at any point along the deflected portion ot the wire.

If under excessive loading, or improper adjustment, it should be found that the curve oit the ribs shown in Fig. 7 is not sufficient to prevent the overloaded wire from coming into crystallizing contact with the abrupt end of the ribs 14, and thus causing the wire to break, the curved port-ion of the ribs may be further extended, which may be readily done by making the clamp castings R and S wider, or by making the lower central ribs 15 straight and extending the curved ends of the ribs 14 down to meet them. In the latter case, the clamp castings would not be reversible and could not be turned upside down as described.

However, if properly adjusted the construction shown in Fig. 7 will be l'ound sui'licient to prevent the wire 'from coming in crystallizing contact with any abrupt corners. It is better in locating the outer support tor the flexible track to have it high enough to cause the wire to approach the connecting casting on a level line instead of aI .little below it, as shown in Fig. 7. This will permit a greater downward deflection before the wire comes in crystallizing contact with the abrupt ends ot the supporting ribs 14.

Also, care should be taken to locate the connecting Castings so their outer ends will tend to point downward .instead of upward, becausel the tension o'l' the wire has a tendency to draw the support outward and make the outer ends ot the castings point upward to a certain extent. A good way to overcome this is to make the castings G and H so that when attached to the beam theyT will have a slight inward incline which will cause the member F to stand with its lower end slightly inward, as indicated by the dotted line F. The member being held in this position bythe brace M,.will cause the lull lll 0 outer ends of the connecting members R and S to point slightlydownward so thatvthe sagging wire Vwould stand even with the dotted line above it, or even a little above this line. This would increase the distance it would have to be deflected before it would come in contact with the abrupt ends of the ribs 14:.

The connecting castings R and S being reversible so that either' edge can be turned up to form the intern'iediate trackway, the

track may be readilv located on either side of the support F and brace M desired. All that is necessary is to reverse the castings J and K on the support F and then by turning the clamp castings R and S upside down the track connection will be located on the opposite side of the support F, the different positions being shown in Figs. l and 5. The brace M and hangers E may be adjusted to suit the different positions of the track.

The outer ends of the clamp castings R and S, which form the connecting members, are tapered, as shown to afford an easy approach ofthe carriage wheels from the flexible track to the connecting members and from there on to the rigid track D. The inner surfaces of the outer ends of the clamping member in contact with the track wire P are rounded out to remove all abrupt corners from actual contact vwith anvpart of the track wire.

The bracket V which -is attached to the track hanger E by the bolt V may be adjusted On the hanger by loosening the bolt and sliding it up or down in a slot in the hanger,

.and then tightening the bolt. The bracket is fitted with a -T head X to insert inthe opening of the track at one end of a section, and then slide along to the proper point o f support and then, to hold it rigidly in position, a wedge shaped key Y is slipped into the openingen the side and is driven under the lower end of the T head X until it is tightened sufficiently to hold the bracket in place. t

To facilitate the driving` of the ke 1t 1s provided with a head Z which ext-ends up suliicicntly so it can be reached through the opening in the side of the track with a set punch or other means to tighten the key under the T head of the bracket. The conthat the lower end of the head be made narrow to facilitate the driving of the key and that the upper part be made wide, preferably with extended wings, as shown, to rigon the lower end of said member, a bracev member having its lower end secured to said castings, and its upper end secured to an overhead support, connecting members secured to said castings and also to the lower end of the brace, and means on said connecting members to attach the adjacent ends of the rigid and flexible tracks in line with each other, and form a continuous trackway Afor an overhead carriage to rrun thereon.

2. The combination with a rigid track having supports at intervals, and a fiexible track supported at its ends, of a vertically depending member secured to an overhead beam vby castings clamped on its upper end and secured to the beam, castings clamped on the lower end of said member, a brace member having its lower end secured to said castings, and its upper end secured to an overhead support, connecting members secured to said castings and also to the lower end of the brace, and means on said connecting members to attach theV adjacent ends of the rigid and flexible tracks in line with each other, and form a continuous track-way for an overhead carriage to run thereon.

3. The combination with a rigid track having supports at intervals, and a flexible track supported at its ends, of a vertically depending member secured at its upper end to an overhead support, castings clamped on the lower end of said member, a brace member having its lower end secured to said castings, and its upper end secured to an overhead support, clamping members, vertically disposed in cross section, secured to said castings and also to the lower end of the brace, the adjacent end of the fiexible track being clamped between said members, means to attach the rigid track to said members and the upper edge of said clamp members being adapted to form a continuous trackway between the adjacent ends of said rigid and flexible tracks.

4. In combination, a rigid track and a flexible track in line with each other, a depending support having a brace secured to its lower end, and the upper ends of said support andbrace being secured to an over head sustaining device, a pair of clamping castings, vertically disposed in cross section, secured to one side of the lower end of said support, means to connect the rigid track to said castings, and means to clamp the adjacent end of the flexible track between the castings, the upper edges of the castings forming an intermediate track-way between the rigid and flexible tracks. 5. In combination, a rigid track and a flexible track in line with each other, a depending support having a brace secured to its lower end, and the upper ends of said support and brace being secured to an overhead sustaining device, a pair of clamping castings, vertically disposed in cross section, secured to one side of the lower end of said support, said castings having mating grooves in their inner faces, means to connect the rigid track to said castings, and the adjacent end of the flexible track insert-ed in said grooves, and means to clamp and hold the ends of the flexible track in the mating grooves of the castings.

6. In combination, a rigid track and a flexible track in line with each other, a depending support having a brace secured to its lower end, and the upper ends of saidy support and brace being secured to an overhead sustaining device, a pair of clamping castings, vertically disposed in cross section, secured to one side of the lower end of said support, apair of parallel mating grooves in the inner faces of said casting, said grooves being curved at their inner ends so as to come together, means to connect the rigid track to said castings, the adjacent end of the flexible track bent to form a hook fitting in said grooves, and means to clamp and hold said bent ends of the flexible track in the grooves of the castings.

7 In combination, a rigid track and a flexible track in line with each other, a depending support having a brace secured to its lower end, and the upper ends of said support and brace being secured to an overhead sustaining device, a pair of clamping castings, vertically disposed in cross section, secured to one side of the lower end of said support, means for connecting the rigid track to said castings, means on the inner faces of said castings for connecting and supporting the adjacent end of the flexible track, said supporting means being downwardly curved at the outer ends, whereby the downward deflection of said flexible track will be distributed along the curved portion of the support.

8. In combination, a rigid track and a flexible track in line with each other, a depending support having a brace secured to its lower end, and the upper ends of said support and brace being secured to an overhead sustaining device, a pair of clamping castings, vertically disposed in cross section,

secured to one side of the lower end of said support, means to connect the rigid track to said castings, flanges on the inner faces of said castings to connect and support the flexible track, the outer ends of said flanges being downwardly curved at their outer ends, whereby the downward deflection of the flexible track under a load will bc distributed along the curved portion of said flanges.

9. In combination, a rigid track and a flexible track in line with each other, a depending support and a member attached to one side of the lower end of the support for connecting the adjacent ends of the trac-ks, said member having the portion conl nec-ting the flexible track downwardly curved to a point on a radius larger than the width of the member, whereby the downward deflection of said track under a load may be supported at all points along said downward curve, and thus prevent exw,

cessive bending of the flexible track.

10. In combination, a rigid track and a flexible track in line with each other, a depending support and a member vertically disposed in cross section, attac-hed to one side of the lower end of said support for connecting the adjacent ends of the tracks, and constituting an intermediate track-way between them, the upper and lower edges on the end connecting the exible track being curved to a point in the center, whereby either edge of said connecting member may be turned up to form the intermediate trackway, and may be attached to either side of the support without changing the side of contact.

l1. In a device of the character described, a support having a casting on its lower end with a laterally extended ila-nge, a member to clamp and hold a flexible track having a recess in one of its outer sides adapted to fit over the end of said lateral flange and means to hold the members together.

12.- In a device of the character described a vertically depending support, a brace for said support, a casting having a laterally extending flange attached to one side of the lower end of said support, a track supporting member with a laterally projecting lug adapted to bear against the lower end of the brace, and be supported against longitudinal displacement by one end of the laterallyextending flange, the extending edge of the flange bearing against the adjacent side of the track connecting member, and means to hold the parts together.

13. In combination, an overhead` track, C shaped in cross section, a hanger for the track having a lateral extension with a T shaped head to enter the opening in the track, and a wedge shaped key to drive below the head and hold it stationaryv in the track.

14. In combination, an overhead track, C shaped in cross section, a hanger for the track having' a lateral extension With a T shaped head to enter the opening in the track, and a key having a head extending above the opening in the side of the track to drive under the head and hold it station* ary in the track.

15. In combination, an overhead track, C

shaped in cross section, a hanger for the 10 track having a lateral extension With a T shaped head made Wide on ite upper end and narrow on its lower end, to enter the opening in the track, and a key to drive below the head and hold it stationary in the 15 track.

Fairfield, Iowa, October 141-, 1919.

- ALBERT H. NELLER. 

